Apparatus for manipulating back muscles

Abstract

Apparatus for the manipulation of the bones, joints and muscle groups of the human back and neck for achieving mobility comprises a bed of solenoids on which the patient lies. The patient is positioned on the bed with respect to locator arms which ensure that the solenoids are activated to generate a cyclical pattern of forces in proper positions with respect to fixed skeletal positions. Mobility is quickly returned to the patient who lies passively on the bed during treatment.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Back manipulating apparatus comprising a bed for a patient, said bed comprising a frame and an array of pockets mounted on the frame each having a first vertical dimension, said apparatus including control means for selectively varying the vertical dimensions of individual ones of said pockets, said apparatus also including locator means attached to said frame and spaced from said array for locating skeletal reference points of a patient with respect to said bed and for generating signals representative of the locations of said positions, said control means being responsive to said signals for defining an initial equal force contour for said array and for manipulating said vertical dimensions of said pockets in a manner to provide a periodic succession of force contours starting with said initial equal force contour. 
     
     
       2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said locator means includes a plurality of locator arms, each of said arms being adjustable in the plane of said and in a direction normal to the plane of said bed. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said locator arms, comprises four locator arms respectively associated with the right and left shoulders and the right and left hip of a patient. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 also including means for locating the position of the sternum of said patient with respect to the positions of said four locator arms. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus for manipulating the bones, joints and muscle groups of the human back, said apparatus comprising a frame a planar array of pockets mounted on said frame on which a patient may be placed, each of said pockets having a cross sectional area which is small with respect to the surface area of the back; locator means attached to said frame and spaced from said array for determining fixed skeletal reference positions of said patient and control means connected to said locator means for obtaining an initial equal force contour for said array of pockets with respect to said reference positions wherein said control means repetitively alter the vertical dimensions of individual ones of said pockets from respective positions defined by said initial equal force contour to impart a cyclical pattern of forces to said back of said patient.   
     
     
       6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said control means for altering the vertical dimensions of said pockets comprises a computer which is responsive to the setting of said locator arms. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 also including a pump and pneumatic tubing means for controlling a supply of air to individual ones of said pockets, each of said pockets comprising a sealed expandable cylinder for receiving air. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said pump inflates and deflates said sealed cylinders individually or in sets controllably. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said control means is operative to change the vertical positions of said pockets individually or in sets.